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Fringe 2008 Reviews (66)
Elvis Hates Me!
Horizon Arts
Zoo
*****
The cult of celebrity is a quite laboured and overdone subject for
the Fringe, which is why it surprised me that Horizon Arts would make
such a choice. As usual their approach to the subject matter is unusual
in the extreme, in this case a skewed and uncompromisingly clever barrage
of popular culture references depicting the thoughts, dreams and inner
fears of a young nurse charged with looking after two very disabled
men who each think they are Elvis. The result is a close-cutting comedic
assault on the audience, complete with fourth wall breaking asides from
the 'two Elvii' as they break in and out of character, mimicking a whole
host of media personalities and celebrity characters ranging from Cilla
Black to Hunter S Thompson as the trite construction of imagined glamour
and the importance of fame is torn apart with a delicious glee. Managing
to be both highly moving and hysterically funny, the audience were in
peals of laughter almost continually throughout, until the mesmeric
and heart-wrenching close.
With this turn the company show that they are as eager and able to
throw themselves into comedy as to the pained revelations of last year's
My Filthy Hunt and the bleakly abstract Everyone should have
a gun, as such they continue to prove their ability and show themselves
to be an act with few rivals to their skill. Much like the King himself.
Graeme Strachan
Twelfth Night
By William Shakespeare
Ad Libitum
Augustine's
****
If 'foolery does walk about the orb like the sun' then Ad Libitum certainly
have the sunshine on their fooling. In their simple yet beautiful production
of Shakespeare's classic comedy Twelfth Night, these ten actors roll,
sweep and cavort across the stage in their drunken revels led by Sir
Toby, their mischievous mayhem engineered by Maria and their love sick
confusions caused by a disguised Viola.
With haunting music sung by the cast in chorus, those actors not on
central stage mimic and echo the emotions played out in front of the
audience. When they all suddenly break into drunken laughter you can
guess that it is to welcome none other than Sir Toby Belch into the
action. In this production Belch is played by a woman as are Feste and
Antonio. Thus Antonio's following of Sebastian becomes another love
struck mismatch. This does become problematic in illustrating Shakespeare's
themes of confused sexualities but it is easy to forgive in this beguiling
atmosphere of sweet music and comic capers.
With brilliant lighting and ingenious scenarios, the brilliant use
of the three boxes for Maria, Toby and Agucheeck to hide in becomes
just another inspired idea in this excellent production. A fantastically
fluid and suitably crafty show, which anyone can enjoy.
Cecily Boys
The Third Condiment
Ankle Productions
Zoo
*****
After salt and pepper there really must be another essential power
to enhance the flavours of our food, and in this brilliant comedy, the
ash of charred sweet potatoes is just that delicacy. Following the invention
of the wonder condiment, swiftly named 'Amen', the trio of friends embark
on a quest to market it to the world, whilst enriching themselves and
saving the poorer nations of the world at the same time. This leads
them to approach a Rupert Murdoch-like Media mogul and his chalk and
cheese daughters, to help market this wonder-product to the masses,
and it isn't long before the stories of miraculous effects begin to
pour in.
Without managing to muddy the waters with histrionics or over-egging
the story, this screwball comedy manages to achieve far more than would
be thought in such a short running time. Telling a compelling if simple
story without throwing any of the usual obstacles in the way of the
characters, Ben and Charlie Brafman have created a story which is both
brilliantly funny and genuinely uplifting. The cast members know their
roles inside out and are evidently having as much fun on-stage as the
audience are off it. What is even more surprising is the quietly brilliant
manner in which the script manages to subtly slip in a grasp of economics
and promote fair-trade and charity without ever becoming preachy or
irritating. Whilst the ending will seem oddly familiar to anyone familiar
with the work of Alan Moore, the play manages to remain fresh and familiar
whilst delivering a sound moral message and a whole host of belly laughs.
Graeme Strachan
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